First measurement of the helicity-dependent (gamma)over-right-arrow(p)over-right-arrow -> p eta differential cross-section

The helicity dependence of the (γ) over right arrow(p) over right arrow -+ peta reaction has been measured for the first time at a center-of-mass angle theta(eta)*= 70degrees in the photon energy range from 780 MeV to 790 MeV. The experiment, performed at the Mainz microtron MAMI, used a 4pi-detector system, a circularly polarized, tagged photon beam. and a longitudinally polarized frozen-spin target. The helicity 3/2 cross-section is found to be small and the results for helicity 1/2 agree with predictions from the MAID analysis.